Self regulating, fuel efficient, fireplace insert logset, using round cans of alcohol gel fuel to produce a semi-rectangular fireplace fire

Abstract

A fireplace insert consisting of a logset which simulates the appearance of a series of logs and twigs but which may be cast as a unitary item. The logset has a cavity that holds two or more round cans of alcohol gel fuel. The invention includes a vapor restrictor plate that sits over the open cans of fuel. The vapor restrictor plate completely covers the metal tops of the cans, thereby hiding same. The vapor restrictor plate has one aperture for each can of fuel that it sits over. The width of the apertures in the vapor restrictor plate is approximately the same as the width of the top openings of the cans of fuel. The depth of the apertures in the vapor restrictor plate is smaller than the depth of the top openings of the cans of fuel. The vapor restrictor plate restricts the flow of alcohol vapors out of the fuel cans and the flow of oxygen into the cans, thereby regulating the height, depth and burn time of the flames produced when the fuel is ignited without the use of manually operated control knobs or adjustment mechanisms. The vapor restrictor plate also reshapes the fires coming out of the cans from a circular shape into a semi-rectangular shape. Flame overlap from aperture to aperture in the vapor restrictor plate produces an over-all fire pattern that is semi-rectangular in shape, similar to traditional fireplace fires that are also semi-rectangular in shape. All of the flames produced by burning fuel are visible to the eye. No fuel is wasted by burning same to produce flames that are hidden underneath fake logs.

1 . A fireplace insert comprising: 
 a noncombustible logset having a cartridge-receiving cavity which communicates with the atmosphere and which receives two or more round cans of alcohol gel fuel,    a vapor restrictor plate having at least one aperture corresponding to each can of fuel, said vapor restrictor plate being disposed proximate to said cans of fuel so that said apertures allow the fuel in the cans to communicate with the atmosphere,    a vapor restrictor plate whose apertures have the same width as the top openings on the cans of fuel,    a vapor restrictor plate whose apertures have a depth that is smaller than the depth of the top openings on the cans of fuel.